National Three Peaks Challenge

Mountain Trek

Brace yourself for a fast-paced and physically challenging adventure, as you take on the three highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales. Considered one of Britain’s toughest outdoor challenges, the National 3 Peaks Challenge takes in the dizzy heights of Ben Nevis (1,344m), Scafell Pike (978m) and Snowdon (1,085m) and your challenge is to do all this in 24 hours!

Fri 21 Sep - Sun 23 Sep 2018

Your challenge day by day

Day 1, Fri 21 Sep 2018

Friday Afternoon

The day begins at 11am as the group finally meets at Chester train Station. Following a warm welcome, we head off by road to Fort William in Scotland. We will stop off in a local Scottish Highland town where you will have the opportunity to buy dinner, before we check-in to our hotel in Fort William and turn in for the night ahead of tomorrow’s early start for our big adventure.

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Day 2, Sat 22 Sep 2018

Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike

It’s a super early start (5am), as we head off to tackle the first of the three peaks.

Standing at the western end of the Grampian Mountains, Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles and is formed from the collapsed dome of an ancient volcano. The trail up to the summit begins on the eastern side of Glen Nevis, from where we follow a steep path up to the saddle of Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe (570m). From here we then begin a zigzag ascent up the western flank of Ben Nevis to the summit. There are only ten miles to cover, but they will be challenging and will take some six hours to do. Be sure to stay mindful and aware at all times as the path is uneven and slippery in parts.

The pay-off at the top is immense. On a clear day, the views can stretch for 120 miles across the Torridon Hills, Ben Lomond and out towards County Antrim in Northern Ireland. The group will transfer by vehicle southwards towards Wasdale in the Lake District. Dinner will be served before we transfer to Wasdale Head for our ascent of Scafell Pike (978m). Scafell Pike is the highest mountain in England and consists of a steep ascent involving some easy scrambling in places. We will descend in darkness before trying to catch some sleep on the drive to Snowdonia.

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Day 3, Sun 23 Sep 2018

Snowdon

Hopefully you will have had time to recharge for another early start. Time is at a premium, however, as the final peak still awaits us. Driving on to Pen y Pass at the high end of the Lanberis Pass, we follow a rocky trail along the Pyg Track to the top of Snowdonia National Park in Wales.

Teamwork and determination are all important as we forge our way onwards and upwards to conquer this final challenge. Snowdon and its surrounding peaks have been described as true examples of alpine typography and from our elevated viewpoint you can take in the surrounding lakes and cwms and, weather permitting, some of the most extensive views in the British Isles. On a clear day you can see four kingdoms, 24 counties, 29 lakes and 17 islands!

Resting at the top for some group photos and impromptu celebrations, we head back to our vehicle for the drive back to Chester.

There is no accommodation arranged for the final evening, so you may wish to consider booking an extra night’s accommodation to rest after the challenge. If you are returning home by train please make sure you have booked an open ticket, as timings will depend very much on the group’s speed and ability.

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Important information

Please Note: We do not guarantee completing this challenge in 24 hours. Charity Challenge believe that running the event in this manner is more responsible to the environments and local communities we pass through.

The itinerary is there as a guide and may change due to unusual weather patterns, the strength of the group, or other unforeseen circumstances. We will do our very best to keep to the set itinerary, however we cannot be held responsible for any last minute changes that may occur. In all such circumstances though, your challenge leader will have the final say.

We hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 6546. Many of the flight-inclusive challenges on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. This ATOL protection only covers challenges that include flights booked by Charity Challenge and that originate in the UK. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate